Racing or the like game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus for simulating sporting events, such as horse races, has a plurality of individual and separate interfitting components that, in their assembled relationship, define a horizontal playing surface with which game pieces interengage in selective placement dictated by a chance means and also define a score board vertically disposed at the back end of the playing surface and to which indicators are selectively attached so as to visually present the progress and final out come of a game and the cumulative results for each player of a number of games and further define a turn indicator which is vertically disposed at the rear end of the playing surface and which supports, in selective fashion, player designators that regulate the order of play.

United States Patent [191 Basa [ 1 RACING OR THE LIKE GAME APPARATUS 1451 Oct. 30, 1973 Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe [76] Inventor: Napoleon A. Basa, 46 Cordillera St., Att0mey [mme & Smlley Quezon City, Philippines [22] Filed: Nov. 19,1971 ABSTRACT [2]] Appl. No.: 200,466 A game apparatus for simulating sporting events, such as horse races, has a plurality of individual and separate interfitting components that, in their assembled [52] Ub- Cl 273/134 CH, 273/145 B relationship, define a horizontal paying Surface with [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00. which game pieces interengage in selective placement [58] Field of Search 273/134, 145 dictated by a chance means and also define a score board vertically disposed at the back end of the play- [56] References cued ing surface and to which indicators are selectively at- UNITED STATES PATENTS tached so as to visually present the progress and final 456,091 7/1891 Vogelgesang 273/145 B u m o a ga and t u ti ults for 2,204,177 6/1940 Eddy 273/134 GM UX each player of a number of games and further define a 2,810,578 1957 Pacitli 273/134 CH turn indicator which is vertically disposed at the rear Lucas t end of the urface and Supports in Se- 3,560,127 2/1971 lmperato 273/134 CH lective fashion p y designators that g l the order of play.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures I32 I32 I32 I30 @I El Patented Oct. 30, 1973 HUB RACING OR THE LIKE GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of The Invention The present invention generally appertains to improvements in game apparatus and is particularly directed to a new and novel game apparatus of the type involving a generally horizontal playing surface on which game pieces are placed and moved in response to the dictates of a chance means. The instant invention especially relates to a new and novel game apparatus which can be used to simulate sporting events or human-controlled contests.

2. State of The Prior Art The prior art is replete with various and sundry game apparatus which can be employed for simulating sporting events or contests wherein game pieces, that simulate humans engaged in a particular athletic endeavor, racing animals, like horses or dogs, and racing vehicles, are moved over a playing surface in accordance with a set of rules particularly associated with the playing surface and the event being simulated and in response to the random dictates of a chance means.

Such apparatus include cumbersome and large game boards that have associated structural members adding to the size thereof and require a large lay-out space for use. Also, such apparatus require large storage receptacles and consequent usage of a great amount of storage space. Such largeness in size and shape negates any easy and convenient portability of the apparatus.

In view of these factors attempts have been made to provide so-called knock-down type game boards and associated members that make up the game apparatus. However, such attempts have not been too successful because, mainly, of the high costs of manufacture and consequent high retail prices of such game apparatus. Also, such attempts have produced complicated and structurally involved game apparatus that are not readily and easily assembled and disassembled for playing purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus composed of a plurality of individual and separate components that possess a structurally simple and relatively rigid interfitting means so that they can be interconnected in a facile and easy manner for ready use in playing many different types of games that are simulative of sport contests and the like.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a knock-down type game apparatus which can be manufactured at a very low cost and, consequently, marketed at a low retail price.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus that is made up of a number of separate parts that can be easily assembled to provide a generally horizontal playing surface on which game pieces can be placed in selective fashion following the dictates of a chance means in the form of dice placed in a vertically assembled dice tube with a supporting stand, with the positions of the game pieces on the playing surface and the turn sequence ofthe players being displayed on appropriate boards that are supported in vertical positions on the rear end of the playing surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the game apparatus of the present invention with the playing surface being shown in partly assembled condition and with the vertical score board being shown in disassembled condition ready for attachment of the rear end block of the playing surface and with the player turn indicator being shown in disassembled condition ready 0 for attachment to the rear end of the playing surface.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective showing of the chance means which includes dice that are adapted to be placed in a vertical dice tube supported by a vertical stand so as to fall into a dice pan at the bottom outlet end of the dice tube.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear end portion of one of the apertured strips that are disposed in parallel relation between the front and rear end blocks of the playing surface to constitute such playing surface with the strips being provided with longitudinally spaced vertical apertures into which the base pegs of game pieces are selectively fitted so as to dispose the game pieces in various positions along the longitudinal extent of the strips.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a finger ring that has a numbered face, with each player wearing such a ring that designates the player to enable the players playing turn and the position of his game piece, which bears a number that corresponds to the number on the ring, to have meaning in relation to the vertical score board and turn indicator at the rear end of the playing surface.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are perspective showings of game pieces that are used to play various games, such as horse and dog racing and Jai Alai and which have body portions simulative of a horse, a dog or a Jai Alai" player with each body portion having a base peg whereby it can be placed in selected position on one of the playing spaces of the strips of the playing surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, and initially to FIG. 1, the game apparatus 10 includes a generally horizontal playing surface 12 that is composed of a series of parallel play surface strips 14. The elongated, flat strips 14 have under surfaces 16 that are divided into playing spaces 18, with each space having a vertical opening 20 provided therein. The strips have vertically apertured front and rear end portions 22 and 24, respectively, that rest on and are attached to a transverse front end block and a transverse rear end block 26 and 28, respectively.

The front end block 26 is formed with vertical openings 30 that are adapted to register with vertical holes 32 formed in the front end portions of the strips for the reception of pins 34 that secure the front end portions of the strips on the front end block. Similarly, the rear end block 28 has a series of laterally spaced apart vertical openings 36 that register with vertical holes 38 provided in the rear end portions of the strips. Mounting pins 40, as shown in detail in FIG. 3, are provided to fit in the aligned openings 36 and the holes 38 so as to secure the rear ends of the strips to the top of the rear block. The pins 40 also carry number flags 42 that identify the strips, with the spaces 44 on the top of the front end or starting block in front of each strip having numeral indicia provided thereon. Thus, by virtue of the numbered starting spaces 44 on the front end or starting block and the number flags 42 on the pins at the rear ends of the strips at the rear end or finish block 28, each strip 14 is identified with a number and such identifying number belongs to a particular player.

Each player wears a ring 46, as shown in FIG. 4, with face 48 of each ring having a number provided thereon. The player wearing a ring with the number 3," for example, on its face operates on the strip 14 which is identified by the number 3 on the starting space on the top of the front end block 26 and by the number 3 flag pin 40 at the finish block 28.

Each player has a game or playing piece that has a number which corresponds to the number on the players ring with such playing piece being moved by the player over the playing surface strip that has an identifying number corresponding to the number of the playing piece. Such playing or game piece may be one that is simulative of a race horse 50, as shown in FIG. 5, or of a racing dog 52, as shown in FIG. 6, or of a Jai Alai player 54, as shown in FIG. 7. Other figure type playing pieces will be provided, such as racing cars, boats or the like. In any event, each game piece has a base peg 56 that is adapted to fit in the openings 20 provided along the length of the playing faces of the playing surface strips 14, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, so as to positively position the game pieces on the proper spaces of the playing faces, as dictated by the outcome of the operation of chance means 58, as shown in FIG. 2.

The chance means 58 includes conventional dice 60 that are placed in a vertically positioned dice tube 62 having a dice-pan 64 disposed at its outlet 66. The tube is composed of a lower section 68 having the fan shaped outlet 66 at its lower end and having a collar 70 at its open upper end. The lower open end 72 of the inlet hopper or upper section 74 is fitted in the collar and frictionally held therein. The dice tube 62 is maintained in a vertical position by a sectional stand 76 that has a flat base provided with an opening 78 on its upper face. The finger 80 on the lower end of the vertical leg 82 is fitted in such opening to hold the leg in a vertical position and the finger 84 on the upper end of the leg supports a top member 86v by fitting in the vertical opening 88 in the top member. The collar 70 has a radially projecting pin 89 that fits in the hole 90 formed in the leg 82 while the top member 86 has a notched front edge 92 that engages under the conical top end of the upper section 74 of the dice tube. In this manner, when the tube and the stand are assembled, the dice tube is supported by the stand. In the assembling of the tube and the stand and in the supporting of the tube by the stand no external fasteners or other parts are employed. The assembling and interconnection is due solely to the integral association of pins and slots or openings with the various parts.

A player designator means 94 which controls and regulates the turns of the players so that the players take their turns in proper order and sequence is provided and is vertically disposed at and attached to the rear end block 28 of the playing surface. Such player designator means, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a chairnel-shaped holder 96 that has fingers 98 provided on the lower ends of its sides 100 to fit into slots 102 provided on the upper face of the rear end block adjacent its right side. Numbered plates 104 are held within the channel-shaped holder and have their number bearing faces visible through the open front wall 106 of the holder. The plates are positioned in a vertical order within the holder, with the particular arrangement being determined by the players choices under the control of the chance means.

A score board 108 is provided and is adapted to be mounted in a vertical position on the rear end or finish block 28 of the playing surface, alongside and to the left when viewed from the front end of the game apparatus, of the player designator means 94. The score board 108 is provided on its bottom edge 1l0.with depending feet or pegs 112 that are adapted to fit in sockets 114 formed in the top wall of the rear end block 28.

The score board is provided along its left side with a vertically arranged column 116 of numbers that correspond to the numbers along the spaces 44 on the upper face of the starting block 26. Each player, who is identified throughout the game and games by a particular number, has recorded on the front face 118 of the score board the number of wins that he has achieved during the time of play. For this purpose, the front face 118 is formed with rows 120 of apertures that also are in columnar arrangement. Win mark pegs 122 are adapted to fit into such apertures so as to overlie the front face of the score board. I The play-by-play account and final outcome of each game are recorded along the top edge of the game board by means of an elongated block 124 that has its outer vertical face divided into numbered spaces that correspond with the numbered playing surface strips 14. The block 124 has depending pegs 126 on its bottom edge that are adapted to fit into sockets 128 formed along the top edge of the score board. The top edge of the block 124 is provided above each numbered space with vertical holes that are adapted to receive winning indicators 130 that are moved to positions above the numbered spaces as the game progresses and that are moved into a final resting position at the end of each game to designate the winner of each game. Indicators 132 are provided to designate the nature of the game being played and are adapted to be pegged into the top edge of the block 124, as is apparent from FIG. 1. During a single game, such as the depicted simulated horse'race, the markers 130 indicate which players,via the horses, are in first, second and third positions with the markers being moved during the game or simulated horse race to indicate the progress of the horses. A series of games, such as several races, makes up what may be considered a set and the winners of these games are indicated by the markers 122 so that these markers would indicate the winner of the set or series of games and the order of finish of the other players in the series or set of games.

It can be appreciated that different games can be played with the game apparatus 10 but that the main theme throughout such games and regardless of the 'type and nature thereof will involve the movement,

under various rules, of the game or playing pieces from starting positions at the front end or starting block 26 along-the playing surface strips 14 to the finish or rear end block 28.

Consequently, in the interests of brevity and since the rules and way of playing any particular game with the game apparatus 10 are not of any importance herein, it is felt that a detailed explanation of any particular usage and enjoyment of the game apparatus is unnecessary.

It can be appreciated that the game apparatus is composed of many individual and separate components that can be quickly and easily assembled into a related whole in an expeditious and simple manner without the need for using any assembling tools and without the employment-of any external joiners or fasteners and that, in its disassembled state, the game apparatus can be boxed and stored in a minimum of space and with obvious advantages of extreme portability.

Of course, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited by the Abstract" or the disclosed embodiment in the drawing and foregoing description but is only to be limited by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising a substantially horizontal playing board having an upper playing surface provided with a starting end and a finish end and over which game pieces are adapted to be moved from the starting to the finish end in the playing of a single game, a first score indicator means disposed at the finish end perpendicular to the playing surface for visually depicting the playing progress of a game and the winner of the game and the order in which the other players finish the game, a second score indicator means disposed at the finish end perpendicular to the playing surface and arranged alongside the first score indicator means for visually depicting the winner of a series of games and the order of finish of the other players in the series of games, both of said score indicator means and the playing board having interfitting means for mounting each of the score indicator means in a vertical position above the playing surface and a player designator means that regulates the sequential order of play by the players in a game vertically disposed alongside one of the score indicator means and means for mounting the player designator means in a vertical position above the playing surface.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said interfitting means between the playing board and each of the score indicator means includes said playing surface and each of the score indicator means being formed with a series of interfitting pegs and sockets.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said player designator means includes a vertical housing member having a bottom end and said end and the playing surface being provided with interfitting fingers and slots that constitutes the mounting means.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said playing board includes a front starting end block and a rear finish end block disposed in spaced apart parallel relation and a plurality of elongated strips connected in parallelism between said blocks and forming the playing surface.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said strips have end portions seated on the blocks and said end portions and the blocks having aligned holes and pins fitted in said holes to attach the strips to the blocks.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said strips have upper faces provided with regularly spaced apart apertures adapted to receive peg ends on the game pieces.

.7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said player designator means includes a holder having a lower end and afront face provided with a display opening, said lower end having projecting fingers and said playing surface being provided with slots into which the fingers are adapted to fit in mounting the holder vertically on the playing surface and plates provided with player designating indicators disposed within the holder so that the player designating indicia show through the display opening in the front face thereof.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said playing surface is a simulated race track and the playing board is comprised of a front starting end block and a rear end block disposed in spaced apart parallel relation and a plurality of elongated strips connected in paralellism between said blocks and forming the playing surface with a strip being provided for each player and said strips having upper faces constituting the playing surface being provided with regularly spaced apart stations on which game pieces simulative of race horses are adapted to rest in the playing of the game. 

1. A game apparatus comprising a substantially horizontal playing board having an upper playing surface provided with a starting end and a finish end and over which game pieces are adapted to be moved from the starting to the finish end in the playing of a single game, a first score indicator means disposed at the finish end perpendicular to the playing surface for visually depicting the playing progress of a game and the winner of the game and the order in which the other players finish the game, a second score indicator means disposed at the finish end perpendicular to the playing surface and arranged alongside the first score indicator means for visually depicting the winner of a series of games and the order of finish of the other players in the series of games, both of said score indicator means and the playing board having interfitting means for mounting each of the score indicator means in a vertical position above the playing surface and a player designator means that regulates the sequential order of play by the players in a game vertically disposed alongside one of the score indicator means and means for mounting the player designator means in a vertical position above the playing surface.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said interfitting means between the playing board and each of the score indicator means includes said playing surface and each of the score indicator means being formed with a series of interfitting pegs and sockets.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said player designator means includes a vertical housing member having a bottom end and said end and the playing surface being provided with interfitting fingers and slots that constitutes the mounting means.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said playing board includes a front starting end block and a rear finish end block disposed in spaced apart parallel relation and a plurality of elongated strips connected in parallelism between said blocks and forming the playing surface.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said strips have end portions seated on the blocks and said end portions and the blocks having aligned holes and pins fitted in said holes to attach the strips to the blocks.
 6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said strips have upper faces provided with regularly spaced apart apertures adapted to receive peg ends on the game pieces.
 7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said player designator means includes a holder having a lower end and a front face provided with a display opening, said lower end having projecting fingers and said playing surface being provided with slots into which the fingers are adapted to fit in mounting the holder vertically on the playing surface and plates provided with player designating indicators disposed within the holder so that the player designating indicia show through the display opening in the front face thereof.
 8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said playing surface is a simulated race track and the playing board is comprised of a front starting end block and a rear end block disposed in spaced apart parallel relation and a plurality of elongated strips connected in paralellism between said blocks and forming the playing surface with a strip being provided for each player and said strips having upper faces constituting the playing surface being provided with regularly spaced apart stations on which game pieces simulative of race horses are adapted to rest in the playing of the game. 